Question

Why do you get shocked after walking on carpet in the winter months but not in the summer months?

Answer 1

We know that Objects are made up of atoms which are neutral, which means the protons are balanced with the electrons, so they cancel each other out. However, the outer layer of an atom gets rubbed off. When objects are rubbed against each other, some objects are prone to lose some electrons, while other objects are prone to gain electrons. This build-up of excess charge is what is called static electricity. The static charge build-up is temporary. The excess charge is usually lost through a discharge (shock), particularly when the object is near a conductor.

As you walk on the carpet, your feet run electrons off the carpet which gives a slight negative static charge.

As we know that air is an electrical insulator, which means that electrons don't pass through it easily. Add water vapor to the air, and the water molecules allow electrons to pass more freely. We usually notice that static shocks are more in winters than in summer. This is because the air is very dry.

In summers the humidity and moisture level in the air help electrons to move freely which makes harder to build static shocks.